Airmen encouraged to conduct energy audit

With October well underway, Energy Action Month is in full swing. The month will give Airmen stationed at Cannon Air Force Base the chance to promote awareness for conservation efforts and showcase how Air Commandos "think green, build green and fly blue."

U.S. Air Force graphic: Airman 1st Class Alexxis Pons Abascal

As the largest energy user in the federal government, the Air Force is constantly looking for ways to reduce energy consumption. October will give Airmen stationed at Cannon Air Force Base the chance to promote awareness for conservation efforts and showcase how Air Commandos "think green, build green and fly blue."

This year's theme, led by the Department of Energy, is "I am Air Force Energy". The goal is to inspire all Airmen toward a commitment of continuous change in efforts to conserve not only personal energy use, but showing fellow service members how they can impact the entire force by bringing awareness efforts to the forefront.

October celebrates the innovative ideas and accomplishments of Airmen at all levels across the county and worldwide while providing energy-saving tips to reduce energy use and cut unnecessary spending costs.

The Air Force spent $1.06 billion on energy to run its facilities in fiscal year 2007. These bills are considered "must pay," so if the energy bill exceeds budget, the money has to come from somewhere else. However, unlike other bills, the amount the Air Force pays can be directly tied to the actions of Airmen on respective installations. Conservation allows more money to be allocated to other operational needs, while waste takes from it.

There are simple ways everyone can get involved in cutting cost and conserving energy at Cannon. One of the easiest personal efforts is to conduct an energy audit at home.

Most of the energy utilized at home can be directly traced back to heating and cooling systems. A good first step is to seal off any air leaks within homes, especially with winter fast approaching. Also, check for proper ventilation of gas burning appliances. According to the Department of Energy, adjusting your thermostat by one degree up in the summer and one degree down in the winter for eight hours a day can save about one percent per year. This amounts to about $14.50 for local residents.

Checking home insulation is also critical — existing insulation may be inadequate by current standards. When verifying standards, insulation effectiveness is typically measured in R value; the larger the R value, the more heat it will prevent from escaping your home.

Remember, raising awareness and promoting conservation is a collective effort. Anyone with thoughts or ideas on how the 27th Special Operations Wing can be more energy efficient can submit them to: [email protected].

There are plenty of other great energy-saving tips, tricks and ideas on the Department of Energy website.